Samsung Seeking Copy of Apple-HTC Agreement

There is no shortage of great rivalries in this world: Pepsi and Coke, Tom and Jerry, Ali and Frazier – those conflicts have spanned generations and will be known for many years to come. Now, there is another to add to the list, the rivalry of the two top dogs in the world of mobile technology – Samsung and Apple.

The ongoing patent dispute between the two – which shows no sign of stopping – has taken another twist this past weekend as news emerged that Samsung has asked a court to force Apple into providing them with a copy of the deal with HTC.

If you didn’t already know, as reported by AllThings D and others, Apple just recently ended their legal battle with HTC, settling the dispute with a 10-year patent licensing agreement. Now, Samsung are arguing that the deal most likely covers some of the patents that were featured in their own court case with Apple and are demanding to see the agreement.

“As you know, the issue of Apple’s willingness to license its patents was briefed in Samsung’s opposition to Apple’s motion for permanent injunction,” Samsung wrote in their court filing. “This license has direct bearing on the question of irreparable harm and whether monetary remedies are adequate.”

Two of the patents that were used by Apple against HTC are already known to Samsung, as they were also used against them. What the Koreans are looking to find out from the agreement is if those patents were Apple’s prized possessions – the one’s it was claimed they would never license, especially to rivals such as HTC and Samsung.

“These patents are Apple’s unique user experience intellectual property. They’re the ones that make our brand identity and keep competitive us in the marketplace,” said Apple’s director of patent licensing and strategy Boris Teksler during his testimony in the much-publicized Apple vs. Samsung case.

If the agreement reveals that Apple did in fact license those very same patents to HTC, Samsung will have the ammunition they need to counter Apple’s request for a U.S. sales ban on some of their products. If Samsung sees what they want to see in the copy of the Apple-HTC deal (or even if they don’t), this is a rivalry with no end in sight.